From the day that I was appointed governor in the land of Judah, that is, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes– twelve years in all– neither I nor my relatives ate the food allotted to the governor.

自从我奉派作犹大地的省长，就是从亚达薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我与我弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄。

自从我奉派作犹大地省长的那日，就是从亚达薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我与我弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄。

自从我奉派作犹大地省长的那日，就是从亚达薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我与我弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄。

从亚达薛西王二十年至三十二年，也就是我奉派为犹大省长的十二年间，我和我的弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄。

自从我奉命在犹大地作他们省长的日子以来，就是从亚达薛西王二十年，直到三十二年，共十二年，我和我的兄弟都没有吃过省长的俸禄。

自從我奉派作猶大地的省長，就是從亞達薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我與我弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。

自從我奉派作猶大地省長的那日，就是從亞達薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我與我弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。

自從我奉派作猶大地省長的那日，就是從亞達薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我與我弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。

從亞達薛西王二十年至三十二年，也就是我奉派為猶大省長的十二年間，我和我的弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。

自從我奉命在猶大地作他們省長的日子以來，就是從亞達薛西王二十年，直到三十二年，共十二年，我和我的兄弟都沒有吃過省長的俸祿。

自從我奉命作猶大地巡撫的日子以來、從亞達薛西王二十年到三十二年、共十二年、巡撫的俸祿、我和我同職弟兄都沒有喫過。

自我被立為猶大方伯、於亞達薛西王二十年、至三十二年、共十二年、我與同宗、未食方伯之祿、

自亞達泄西王二十年、至三十二年、共十二年、我為猶大方伯、不食祿、即吾宗人亦然。

自王命我為猶大地之方伯、從亞達薛西王二十年、至三十二年、共十二年、我與同族未食方伯之祿、

Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year— twelve years— neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.

And that’s not all. I was appointed as governor of Judah in the 20th year that Artaxerxes was king of Persia. I remained in that position until his 32nd year. During those 12 years, I and my relatives didn’t eat the food that was provided for my table.

Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.

For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah— from the twentieth year to the thirty second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes— neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance.

Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah— from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, twelve years— I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor.

Furthermore, since the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance.

Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions.

Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah— from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, 12 years— I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor.

Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king,[ that is], twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty- second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.

During all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I had gone back to the king. After some time I had requested leave of the king,

and we did not eat anyone’s food without paying. Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you.It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate.

Then in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought to me, I took the wine and gave it to the king. Previously I had not been depressed in the king’s presence.

Do we not have the right to financial support?Do we not have the right to the company of a believing wife, like the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not to work?Who ever serves in the army at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not consume its milk?Am I saying these things only on the basis of common sense, or does the law not say this as well?For it is written in the law of Moses,“ Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” God is not concerned here about oxen, is he?Or is he not surely speaking for our benefit? It was written for us, because the one plowing and threshing ought to work in hope of enjoying the harvest.If we sowed spiritual blessings among you, is it too much to reap material things from you?If others receive this right from you, are we not more deserving? But we have not made use of this right. Instead we endure everything so that we may not be a hindrance to the gospel of Christ.Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple eat food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar receive a part of the offerings?In the same way the Lord commanded those who proclaim the gospel to receive their living by the gospel.But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing these things so that something will be done for me. In fact, it would be better for me to die than– no one will deprive me of my reason for boasting!

What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel I may offer the gospel free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights in the gospel.

For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants devoted to governing.Pay everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury will suffer loss.In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king, and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage, we are sending the king this information